Biopsy samples have been obtained in a variety of ways in various medical procedures using a variety of devices. Biopsy devices may be used under stereotactic guidance, ultrasound guidance, MRI guidance, or otherwise. Merely exemplary biopsy devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,526,822, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Automated Biopsy and Collection of Soft Tissue,” issued Jun. 18, 1996; U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,544, entitled “Control Apparatus for an Automated Surgical Biopsy Device,” issued Jul. 11, 2000; U.S. Pub. No. 2003/0109803, entitled “MRI Compatible Surgical Biopsy Device,” published Jun. 12, 2003; U.S. Pub. No. 2007/0118048, entitled “Remote Thumbwheel for a Surgical Biopsy Device,” published May 24, 2007; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/869,736, entitled “Biopsy System,” filed Dec. 13, 2006; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/874,792, entitled “Biopsy Sample Storage,” filed Dec. 13, 2006; and U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 11/942,764, entitled “Vacuum Timing Algorithm for Biopsy Device,” filed Nov. 20, 2007. The disclosure of each of the above-cited U.S. patents, U.S. patent application Publications, U.S. Provisional Patent Applications, and U.S. Non-Provisional patent application is incorporated by reference herein.
Some biopsy systems may provide one particular type of device or devices for use in handheld, ultrasound-guided settings; with another particular type of device or devices for use in a fixture-based, stereotactic settings. Such differing devices for different settings may not permit interchangeability of components from devices of one setting to devices of another setting. For instance, one biopsy system may provide a holster and probe pair intended for use in a handheld, ultrasound-guided setting, and a separate holster and probe pair intended for use in a fixture-based, stereotactic setting, without permitting the probe of the first pair to be effectively coupled with the holster of the second pair. In some situations, it might be desirable to permit the same type of probe to be effectively coupled with a holster intended for use in a handheld, ultrasound-guided setting as well as a holster intended for use in a fixture-based, stereotactic setting.
While several systems and methods have been made and used for obtaining a biopsy sample, it is believed that no one prior to the inventors has made or used the invention described in the appended claims.